The Mouse That Snarls At Tigers
by KuroDakenSuki
Summary: "If I said I love you, would you believe me?" In the world they live in being close to someone would ultimately end in death. No one knew that better than Ivan Braginisti. Yet when he meets the American girl from Utah he can't help but admire her.


_**The Mouse that snarls at Tigers**_

Ch. 1 Confrontation

_Would you believe me if I told you I loved you? If I said the only reason I push you away is because I know that I will hurt you, and I couldn't live with myself if I did that? No…I don't think you would. And I don't think that I will tell you. Yes, its best you think of me as a monster. Its better that you fear me, even though it hurts. _

Alyson looked quietly around the table of gathered nations, it was her first world conference and despite being America she was nervous. Alfred, who had finally gotten his Western twin to settle down, was busy going on about his Next Big Thing, leaving the brunette to fend for herself. Alyson rolled her reddish brown eyes at his droning, if South weren't sulking he'd be here instead of her! Sighing, Alyson swept the room of faces again. None were particularly interesting. The German was growing incredibly ticked off and was About To Lose It, Alyson had grown used to noticing this particular level of agitation. Arthur, who was also here, had Lost It when Alfred fought him, dragging Allen, their last twin, into the fight. Alyson was grateful she had been left out of that skirmish, leaving her capable of still being pleasant to their older brother. Alyson smiled over at the Englishman now and he nodded back to her, not taking his emerald eyes off the self proclaimed hero.

Alyson tensed suddenly, her eyes darting around the room to see what changed. Something had changed in her surroundings, as a gun slinger she was accustomed to detecting second changes, yet no one else seemed to notice. Brown eyes analyzed the entire room until she found the change. A white haired, purple eyed man had shifted in his seat, slightly angled towards her. Alyson's eyes narrowed, Alfred had nervously looked over at the large man and whispered he was Ivan Braginisti. The fact that he's been labeled dangerous by how Alfred and the others handle him, like their walking on eggshells around him, and that she had yet to hear a single word set Alyson on edge. And now he was angled towards her, which meant he showed interest in her. Purple eyes glance over at her and she catches his gaze. She had expected the Russian to blush and look away like how normal people did…but this man didn't. He held her fiery eyes calmly without the slightest altercation to how he acted. It unnerved Alyson, to say the least. She looked away first.

After the meeting the nations were expected to mingle. Alfred introduced Alyson to everyone. She already knew Matt, their Canadian neighbor. Feliciano , an Italian, and Kiku, a Japanese, seemed friendly enough. She liked Ludwig and Gilbert, the Germans. Francis made her nervous with his advances, but Alfred told her to expect that from the Frenchman. She thought Rodrich was mighty pretty, she truly hadn't expected that from the Austrian. Heracles, the Greek, she found amusing. And yet, even though Ivan hadn't come over to greet her, she found her eyes traveling back to him. She felt like a rabbit in the eyes of a wolf. It wasn't a feeling she liked. Straitening her spine she marched over to the Russian and held out her hand, determined to conquer her own uneasy feelings and to show she was not to be intimidated, that she was just as tough as her Eastern brothers.

Ivan seemed surprised that she would appear as hostile as she had and looked at the hand she presented.

"Howdy, I'm Alyson Jones. I hear you're Ivan Braginisti, pleased ta meet you." She drawled, pinning on her southern charm rather than her ability to show northern class. Ivan raised a hand and they shook, Alyson applying enough pressure to have a firm grasp, she pulled him closer and whispered, "You don't scare me."

_Like a mouse pinned by a cat you're supposed to tremble and beg for mercy. But like a stallion roped by a rangler you buck and scream. Why are you so unlike everyone else? You're like a feral beast pretending to be tame and civil, just biding your time till you snarl and break free. Unlike me you don't hide the fire in your eyes._

Alfred grabbed Alyson's arm and started to drag her away, but there, in front of everyone, the girl screamed and jerked her arm from his grasp.

"Don't touch me." She snarls at him. Alfred, stunned, doesn't speak. Alyson's hand had reflexively flashed to her hip for a gun and when she didn't find one she swung at him.

"Alyson!" Arthur yelped, grabbing her arm. The wild girl stilled but was rigid, still posed to strike at her northern twin.

"Let me go." She shook off Arthur and stalked out of the room.

Everyone knew now that the Western part of America was not to be messed with. The tension in the room was high as Alfred got up, his sapphire eyes cold, and strode out of the room.

"Awesome." Gilbert said, shattering the tension.

_Snarling and snapping you're like a threatened coyote. No one can touch you, you let no one near. Why do you keep everyone away? Your fur is bristled and your hackles raised, you bare your teeth at everyone. What, little coyote, made you this way?_

Alyson stormed through the convention centers halls, no one crossed her path as she tore through the halls. On the rooftop she screamed. She didn't belong here! Sensing someone behind her she swung a fist, hoping to feel the harsh impact of knuckles against jaw. Instead someone caught her fist and shoved her against the wall.

"Let me go you son of a bitch!" She screamed. A deep laugh rumbled through the firm chest and she shivered, breathing in the scent of…sunflowers? "Who are you?" She whispered.

"Vash koshmar." The unfamiliar words were murmured against her ear and then the stranger was gone.


End file.
